While Khiani has earned his stripes as a maverick user experience designer, he will also face very different challenges at TIL. Perceived to be a large and unwieldy organization that sometimes trades focus for diversification, Khiani could spend much time navigating protocol and bureaucracy at his new company. We are predicting significant restructuring in product lines and personnel—sources familiar with the thinking within BCCL say that the one decision that has come out of the travails of the economic downturn is that the group wants a leaner, fitter TIL. And perhaps one with tighter strategic focus.

In some sense, TIL has coopted the enemy. Khiani was the principal architect of In.com, the Web18 portal that has steadily gained marketshare within a year of launch and already gets more traffic than Indiatimes.com as per some audience measuring agencies.

While Khiani will likely face some cultural resistance owing to being younger than many senior managers who will report to him, one factor that will likely help him is the active interest being taken in TIL by a representative of the Jain family. Satyan Gajwani, fiancé of BCCL vice chairman Sameer Jain’s daughter Trishla Jain, is understood to be taking active interest in the affairs of Indiatimes. Gajwani, a Stanford grad who is designated executive assistant to CEO Ravi Dhariwal, will likely work closely with Khiani in implementing the group’s vision in the Internet company that should see a significant revitalization at the top with two young executives leading the charge.

A BCCL spokesperson declined comment. Medianama first reported that Khiani was joining Indiatimes.

If the upbeat mood at the Indiatimes office today is any indication, Khiani, who loves gadgets and fast cars, will have a smooth ride—at least in the beginning.